Author: haddonfieldtoday

OFFICIAL from Haddonfield School District on May 1, 2020

Haddonfield School District Selects AlphaBEST Education to Deliver Before- and After-School Child Care

After careful consideration, the Haddonfield School District (HSD) voted to end its contract for before- and after-school care with Haddonfield Child Care, a local non-profit organization that has served our community for many years. The community, building leaders, administration, and Board of Education (BOE) are very grateful for their service to our children and greatly appreciate the contribution they have made to the Haddonfield community. As difficult as the decision to change providers is, we must consider multiple factors when making an informed decision, especially during such unprecedented times, such as efficiency of offering, quality and consistency of programming across the district, and the ability to meet the unique needs of all students. The BOE and administration have held ongoing discussions with HCC for several months since the Request for Proposals began.

After a thorough search process, including reviews of proposals, in-person interviews, reference checks, and careful deliberation by a committee of ten members, the District has chosen to award the contract to AlphaBEST Education. AlphaBEST has received exemplary reviews from other contracted districts. They have a well-designed curriculum developed to give students the opportunity for enrichment, with no additional cost to families, as well as the flexibility to enjoy downtime in a safe, relaxed environment.

AlphaBEST’s staff training program is extensive and ensures consistency in programs designed to meet the individual needs of our children. Additionally, they offer the same affordable rates our families are accustomed to while guaranteeing the district a minimum of $55,000 for the use of facilities. In the past, the district has not received any funding for the use of facilities for the child care program. Along with providing better programming at equal or lower cost to families using child care, taxpayers greatly benefit from the expertise and the cost-sharing contract of a national organization that runs child care programs for schools across the nation, including New Jersey. Further, we are pleased that AlphaBEST is committed to hiring staff from our current child care program, HCC, to help make the transition for our children seamless. AlphaBEST, HSD and the BOE are all dedicated to maintaining the strong community connections Haddonfield values while ensuring fiscal responsibility and quality of services.

“We are excited to be working with the Haddonfield community and families,” said Judy Nee, CEO of AlphaBEST. “We also know how difficult change can be, and we are committed to working closely with the school district and community to make this a smooth transition. Our New Jersey locations are some of our most successful sites, according to our families – a tribute to the level of expectation and support our dedicated local teams receive. We will be surveying Haddonfield families soon to learn more about needs, ideas and suggestions.”

Like all changes, the transition to the new before and after-care program will be an adjustment, but we are hopeful and confident that this change will enrich the lives of our students and benefit our families.

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DOCUMENTS

BOE President Sangillo’s presentation, April 30, 2020

OFFICIAL from Haddonfield School District on May 1, 2020

On Thursday, April 30, 2020, the Haddonfield Board of Education approved a $37.4M budget for the 2020-2021 academic year.

This dollar amount represents a $735,000 or 2% increase from last year. Haddonfield residents living in a home valued at $500,000 will see an annual increase to their property taxes of $62.

Board Secretary Michael Catalano made a presentation that highlighted, among other things, additions to instructional staff due to projected enrollments; supplies and training for the new AP Capstone Program; professional development for math instruction in grades K-8; the expansion of the district’s 1:1 Chromebook program to include grades 5 and 11; new classroom furniture that will support flexible learning environments; staff training for project-based learning; and capital improvements such as the new C-wing Air-Handling Unit addition.

“Creating the annual budget is a difficult balancing act for Board members,” said Adam Sangillo, Board President. “We try to be mindful of the community’s heavy tax burden and yet we must provide appropriate funding so that our students can thrive and achieve.”

Catalano went into some detail about numerous expenditures in the area of Safety and Security. The district will continue to fund a Student Resource Officer at Haddonfield Memorial High School (HMHS) as well as the Raptor Visitor Management System that was installed in all school buildings last year. In progress are security projects including new secure vestibules in Tatem and Elizabeth Haddon Elementary Schools; window covers for all interior classroom doors; and the RULER emotional intelligence program initiated last fall to support the district’s Social-Emotional Learning goals.

“RULER stands for recognizing, understanding, labeling, expressing, and regulating emotions,” said Dr. Gino Priolo, Director of Special Education and Co-Chair of the Social-Emotional Learning Committee. “Teaching the adults and students in our schools how to recognize and manage emotions is equally important to the physical plant hardening plans that the district has undertaken over the past two years. When we improve school climate and address our social and emotional skills, we can identify mental health issues more readily and ultimately make our schools safer places to teach and learn.”

New Security expenditures include a digital floor-mapping system for first responders navigating our buildings in a crisis; security cameras throughout our district; and a new Student Assistance Coordinator/Crisis Counselor (SAC) who will work with students who are identified as being at risk, again for the purpose of identification and intervention before problems can occur.

“The new full time SAC position replaces a part-time social worker position,” said HMHS Principal Tammy McHale. “This person will offer staff training, will develop procedures for various crisis situations, will design programs and will provide counseling for students and parents.”

“We are completely aware that the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic could change state funding drastically,” said Sangillo. “We are going to be hyper-vigilant in our planning over the next few years as we see how the intermediate and long term impacts of this unprecedented time unfold.”

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DOCUMENTS

• Board of Education User-Friendly Budget 2020-21
• Board of Education Budget Presentation 2020-21

Believing that it is a “best practice” for any organization to look at the changing landscape of offerings and evaluate service providers on a regular basis, the Board of Education to decided some months ago to explore options for before- and after-school child care programs in Haddonfield.

This is not something, it is believed, that has ever been undertaken with respect to Haddonfield’s child care program. The board saw it as a necessary step in offering the best options for students, families, and taxpayers.

Child care providers (including Haddonfield Child Care, the current provider) were invited to present proposals for the board to review. Seven companies submitted proposals and were interviewed on March 11 by a committee of three board members, four principals (elementary and middle), assistant superintendent Chuck Klaus, board secretary Mike Catalano, technology director John Miller, and superintendent Larry Mussoline. 

After narrowing the field to two providers, members of the committee conducted reference checks. (Site visits were not possible because of the COVID-19 pandemic.) 

During the board meeting on April 23, Chuck Klaus reviewed the selection process and recommended that the board contract with AlphaBEST Education Inc, a North Carolina-based company serving 45 districts (415 schools) in 13 states. New Jersey districts served include Hopatcong, Millburn, Mount Olive, Stanhope, and Warren.

During its meeting on April 30, the board voted to approve the proposed contract with AlphaBEST, effective July 1, 2020. 

From the April 24, 2020 School District Newsletter

As week five of remote education comes to a close, we all may have reflected on the challenges of state-mandated school closings and the ups and downs of teaching and/or learning at home. The experiences of each teacher, administrator, counselor, aide, therapist and coach vary of course, just as every student and every family could share different stories about their daily lessons and school work.

What follows is just one Haddonfield story, highlighting one family’s experience with two particular elementary teachers. We know there are many, many other excellent teachers, and we have heard about hundreds of other positive remote education experiences. But the perspective of this story is a little bit different, coming from parents who are also Haddonfield teachers.

The Miller family consists of parents, Mike Miller, who teaches history at the high school and Jessica Miller, who is the Central-Middle School media specialist and technology coordinator; and two boys who attend Tatem Elementary School. Before spring break, Jess and Mike shared these reflections with their children’s principal and HSD administrative team. What follows is part of their thoughtful message.

Click HERE to read the rest of the story.